25-year-old babysitter charged in death of 1-year-old boy

Preston Nelson, 25, is charged with First Degree Reckless Homicide for allegedly injuring 1-year-old Laderreo Toliver-Burkett, causing his death. Nelson was babysitting the toddler and his siblings while the child's mother was at work.

According to the criminal complaint, Nelson and Toliver-Burkett's mother were friends since high school. The victim's mother asked Nelson to babysit her children after her original babysitter called in sick. Nelson agreed to babysit three children in addition to his own child.

In the complaint Nelson told investigators Toliver-Burkett pushed his son down, and he reacted by hitting Toliver-Burkett in the head with a closed fist. While speaking with detectives, Nelson allegedly admitted to striking Toliver-Burkett twice in the back of the head causing the toddler to hit his head on the kitchen floor. Police report Nelson also admitted to pushing 1-year-old Toliver-Burkett in the chest causing him to fall to the ground. In the complaint, Nelson said, \"I pushed him in the chest, I hit him in the head, and I shook him in the room.\"

Nelson told investigators he put Toliver-Burkett to sleep after shaking him. Moments later Nelson found Toliver-Burkett having a seizure, and called the child's mother. The mother says Nelson was \"freaking out\" and \"crying\" when he called and said her son was not breaking anymore. The mother says when she asked Nelson what happened he said, \"I didn't touch him.\"

When police arrived Toliver-Burkett had no pulse, but emergency responders were able to get a pulse. Toliver-Burkett's pulse was lost while being transported to Children's Hospital. Nelson was arrested by police officers after medical officials reported Toliver-Burkett had subdural hemorrhaging, retinal hemorrhaging, and bruises on his forehead.